Some carbs increase insulin levels more than others — specifically those that fall into the high glycemic index category (bagels, white bread, crackers, croissants, cake, doughnuts, and most cereals). Processed sugars like high fructose corn syrup and sucrose have the same effect.

Insulin, in turn, tells fat cells to accumulate fat and other cells to burn carbohydrates for energy. In other words, increasing levels of insulin leads to the body burning carbs — instead of fat —for energy. The more fat your body accumulates and stores, the more likely you are to gain weight.

This chain reaction is exactly why carbs have often been labeled as bad for diets, and it's also why carbs are so addictive.

Put simply, the more carbs you eat, the more carbs you'll crave. It's an addiction that's best dealt with by restricting carbs, and therefore decreasing insulin levels, according to Dr. David Ludwig, a Harvard Medical School expert on obesity who spoke to the New York Times about the subject.

Ludwig instead recommends relying on foods high in healthy fats, which are filling and don't cause the body to produce insulin.

Other strategies include avoiding situations where you'll encounter carb-rich foods like sweet treats or junk food. Don't bring them into your home — don't even walk down those aisles in the grocery store.